Chlamydia psittaci is prevalent in broiler chicken production. However, the role of C. psittaci in the respiratory disease complex needs to be clarified. Our aim was to identify the time point when a C. psittaci infection appeared on a broiler farm and to examine the presence of other respiratory pathogens at that time. We focused on the 'major' respiratory pathogens occurring in Belgian broile...

The influence of age and maternal antibodies on the antibody responses to human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) glycoproteins in very young children has been a matter of controversy. Both, immaturity of the immune system at very early age and suppression of the host immune response by high level of maternal antibodies have been claimed to limit the host antibody response to virus infection a...

The immune system of many mammalian species is not fully developed at birth, with newborns obtaining temporary immunological protection from maternal antibodies. Little is known of the immune system of the harbour seal, and developmental aspects of its immune system have not been systematically studied. We collected blood and milk samples from nine free-ranging mother-pup pairs throughout the l...

The aim of this study was to monitor the ontogenic development of innate immune parameters of cod (Gadus morhua L.) and to determine the presence of maternal IgM. The general protein composition and enzyme activity was also studied. At intervals, samples were collected of fertilized cod eggs and larvae from 3 days after fertilization until 57 days after hatching. Cell lysates were prepared and ...

Maternal subclinical hypothyroidism may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, although not consistently across regions. Here, we sought to determine the effect of elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) on pregnancy outcomes in Japanese women without known medical complications. TSH was determined by dried blood spots at 8-20 weeks of gestation, and 3.0-10.0 μU/mL of TSH was conside...

RESULTS. Allergen-specific IgE antibodies were detectable in 23.9% of the newborns. Paired IgE values from CB plus maternal blood and CB plus paternal blood were available for 922 and 835 children, respectively. Contamination with maternal serum was excluded by several means of analysis, including the absence of IgA antibodies. Concordance between CB IgE and maternal IgE against the same allerg...

Maternal antibodies inhibit seroconversion and the generation of measles virus (MeV)-specific antibodies (both neutralizing and non-neutralizing antibodies) after vaccination whereas T cell responses are usually unaffected. The lack of seroconversion leaves individuals susceptible to vaccine-preventable infections. Inhibition of antibody secretion is due to the inhibition of B cells through a c...

Maternal Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) infection can lead to spontaneous abortion, fetal malformation, and numerous sequelae in the newborn, including visual and hearing impairment. T. gondii serology was determined in pregnant women and their newborns who were referred to Climério de Oliveira Maternity, Federal University of Bahia, and the possible associations with the risk factors for matern...

During pregnancy immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies are transferred from mother to neonate across the placenta. Studies in high transmission areas have shown transfer of P. falciparum-specific IgG, but the extent and factors influencing maternal-foetal transfer in low transmission areas co-endemic for both P. falciparum and P. vivax are unknown. Pregnant women were screened weekly for Plasmodium...

We studied the immunomodulatory and clinical effects of the empirical formula "tiaomian III decoction" on maternal blood blocking antibody deficiency and recurrent spontaneous abortion. Sixty-one patients with blocking antibody deficiency were divided in the experimental group (N = 31), who took tiaomian III decoction, and the control group (N = 30), who received active immunotherapy with pater...